There are better ways to spend money than building forts for men going through middle age crises. spend all those billions on people who are suffering here on earth! that's probably what the aliens think...

roughrider7,i could list thousands of materials and technology that has saved and improved the lives of mankind that we would NEVER have had if it weren't for our space program. go ahead google it from firemen to the everyman has benefitted. The space program has made trillions for private industry and Nasa just hands over the technology .

This isn't just about ending the NASA program or letting technology get away from us. The shuttle's are old and jeopardize each crew every time it goes up or lately even coming back. This is about safety and what the risk/profit/training are of keeping these old beast running. How many lives are you willing to put to risk just because it's US made? There are other people that know a thing or two about space that don't work at NASA so why don't we find out what the best solution is to keep everyone safe, have the most benefit to going up there and having us all move on with space travel.